FORMER Scotland coach Andy Moles refused to put the boot in after Afghanistan inflicted a heart-breaking defeat on his old team.

Moles watched in delight as his Afghan side held their nerve to win by one-wicket in a World Cup thriller in Dunedin early yesterday.

It left the Scots still searching for their first-ever victory on the biggest global stage while Afghanistan broke their tournament duck.

However, Moles ordered his jubilant players to tone down their wild celebrations - to prevent his old Scotland mates suffering added agony.

The former Warwickshire batsman was the Scotland coach who masterminded their qualification for the 2007 World Cup but had been sacked by the time that tournament came round amid rumours of unrest among senior players.

However, Moles bears no grudges, the Afghanistan coach declaring: "I had a happy and enjoyable spell with the Saltires and the memories are very positive.

"I know their guys well and I have valued friends in their squad, so of course I felt for them at the end because it was a very emotional moment.

"I told my guys that while it is good to win, it is even more important to win with honour, dignity and respect. "They understood what I meant and they conducted themselves the way I wanted and in a way that made me proud.

"The Scottish guys were also extremely dignified in their reaction.

"I know they were hurting like mad inside after losing such a close and remarkable match."

It could just as easily have been Scotland who were celebrating following a pulsating match which went to the final over with the outcome still in the balance.

Having been put in to bat in helpful bowling conditions, Scotland were struggling on 144-8 until a record ninth-wicket stand put them in the ascendancy.

Kyle Coetzer, Matt Machan, Preston Mommsen and Richie Berrington all made starts but failed to play a major innings.

It was left to Majid Haq (31) and Ali Evans (28) to stage the recovery with a partnership of 62 as the Scots hoisted their tally to 210.

Ironically, Scotland's most-capped player and record wicket-taker Haq was to become the villain in the field as a dropped catch gave Afghanistan the lifeline they needed to carve out their historic win.

The Scottish bowlers were in total control, having reduced their rivals to 95-7.

By then Haq had already put down a regulation slip chance that gave Samiullah Shenwari a life and the Afghanistan batsman took full advantage with a decisive innings of 96.

Even then, Scotland had a last chance to grab glory when Machan missed a run-out chance by inches in the last over.

The next ball was hit for the winning runs to spark those Afghan celebrations.

Despite Moles' words of consolation, there was little comfort for Scotland skipper Mommsen who said: "We didn't play our best cricket but it's still a game we should have won.

"Both with the bat and the ball we got into winning positions but we couldn't find the killer punch.

"We managed to gain quite a bit of control when we got to 93 for 3. Then soft dismissals just handed it back to them.

"We had the opportunity to really nail it. So that is disappointing. That is something that we need to look at as a batting group. Guys are getting in, doing all the hard work, and then not going on to make it count.

"Six guys getting in and no one getting to 50, well, that's not something that we're proud of."

However, Mommsen added: "We have huge amounts of respect for Afghanistan and the way they go about their business.

"Credit to the way Shenwari played. He has had a serious knock and individually he's got them over the line."